Umhlangano Wesigodi “Wokufundisa Kwaphezulu” Wase-Ethiopia—Isikhathi Senjabulo Ekhethekile

KWAKUNGEWONA umhlangano wesigodi wokuqala wase-Ethiopia ngemva kokukhululeka, kodwa wawukhetheke ngempela. Kusukela baqashelwa ngokomthetho ngo-November 11, 1991, oFakazi BakaJehova bahlangana ngokwesithathu enkundleni yezemidlalo enkulu kunazo zonke kulelizwe, iCity Stadium, khona kanye enkabeni yase-Addis Ababa. Njengoba ngaphambili lendawo yayingatholakali ngeSonto futhi ingekho enye indawo enkulu ngokwanele eyayingatholakala, isimiso sancishiswa ukuba siqhutshwe ngezinsuku ezintathu, kusukela ngoLwesine kuze kube uMgqibelo, ngo-January 13-15, 1994.

Lezizinsuku ezintathu azizange nje kuphela zijatshulelwe esimweni sezulu esihle ngaphansi kwesibhakabhaka esicwathile kodwa nangaphansi kokukhanyiselwa okunethonya eligcwele ‘lokuFundisa Kwaphezulu.’ Indlela izimbali ezikhangayo ezazibekwe ngayo zizungeze indawo yesikhulumi, yenza lesosihloko somhlangano sagqama ngombhalo wesi-Amharic.

Kodwa yini eyenza lomhlangano waba okhethekile? Kulesisimiso esicebile, ukucabanga nemizwa yabo bonke kwakugxiliswe ebuzalwaneni bothando bezizwe zonke nasekubonakalisweni okucacile kwesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu kubantu bakhe esibonakaliswa ngokwanda koMbuso. Kwakunezihambeli zomhlangano ezicishe zibe ngu-270 ezivela emazweni angu-16, kuhlanganise ngisho neDjibouti neYemen. Ezingaphezu kwengxenye zazivela emakhazeni asebusika eYurophu naseNyakatho Melika. Izivakashi zazihlanganisa amalungu amabili eNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova, uLloyd Barry noDaniel Sydlik.

Isiko labantu base-Ethiopia lokwamukela izihambi kanye nothando olusuka enhliziyweni ngabafowabo abavakashile kwaphumela enjabulweni enkulu eyanqoba imigoqo yolimi. Ukubingelelana kwakungekhona nje ukuxhawulana okuvamile kodwa ukwangana nokuqabulana, kuze kube izikhathi eziyisithupha! Izivakashi eziningi zazizwile ngomsebenzi woMbuso e-Ethiopia futhi zazi ukuthi abafowabo base-Ethiopia babengabagcini bobuqotho abavivinywa ababekhuthazele phakathi nesikhathi sokuboshwa nezinye izinhlobo zoshushiso.a Kodwa izihambeli ezivakashile zamangala ukubona intsha eningi ibonisa ubuso obujabulayo nesizotha okuyinto enciphayo emazweni amaningi namuhla. Odade abaningi base-Ethiopia babegqoke izingubo zabo zendabuko ezimhlophe, ezilukwe ngobuciko, okwanezela emoyeni wangempela walomkhosi.

Ubhapathizo ngoLwesihlanu lwabonakala luvusa amadlingozi. Umugqa omude wabantu abangu-530 ababesanda kuzinikezela, abaneminyaka esukela kweyishumi kuya kwengu-80 ubudala, banqamula maphakathi nenkundla yezemidlalo. Lokhu kwakungaphezulu kakhulu kwalokho okwakulindelwe yinoma ubani—oFakazi abangaphezu koyedwa kwabangu-7 kulelozwe. Yeka ubufakazi besibusiso sikaJehova kubantu bakhe lapha! Kwakujatshulwe kakhulu ngokubona abaningi kangaka bebhapathizwa, okwandiswa ukuhlabelela okuhle kwezihambeli ezingaphezu kuka-40 zase-Italy. Abaningi bacabanga ngamazwi ka-Isaya 60:5 angokwesiprofetho: “Khona uyakubona, ukhazimule; inhliziyo yakho iyakugquma, yanuleke, ngokuba ingcebo yolwandle iyakuphendulelwa kuwe, nemfuyo yezizwe iyakuza kuwe.”

Izimbangela Zokujabula Ezikhethekile

Isibusiso sikaJehova sagcizelelwa ngokuqhubekayo ngoLwesihlanu, lapho iziqalo ezincane zomsebenzi woMbuso e-Ethiopia ziphinde zibukezwa ngezingxoxo. Lezizingxoxo zaqhutshwa neqembu lezithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezazikhonze lapho ngawo-1950 nawo-1970. Abantu abangaphezu kuka-8 000 bezwa uRay Casson, uJohn Kamphuis, noHaywood Ward bechaza umsebenzi wabo wemfundo yeBhayibheli, beqala ku-September 14, 1950, lapho befika e-Addis Ababa. Uhulumeni wombuso omkhulu walezozinsuku wawufuna ukuba bangenele imfundo evamile. Ngakho enkabeni yedolobha bamisa isikole semfundo yasebekhulile, esasifundisa izifundo ezihlukahlukene. Kodwa ngesikhathi sazo sokuphumula, lezizithunywa zevangeli zafuna ukwandisa imfundo esekelwe ekufundiseni kwaphezulu. Kwadingeka zilwele ukufunda isi-Amharic, ulimi oluyinkimbinkimbi olunama-alfabhethi angu-250. Cishe kwadlula isikhathi esiyingxenye yonyaka ngaphambi kokuba lezizithunywa zevangeli ziphumelele ukuqhuba izifundo zazo zokuqala zeBhayibheli zasekhaya. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-43 kamuva, zahlangana nabantu emgwaqweni ababesabakhumbula lababantu ababengothisha basesikoleni. Nokho, emhlanganweni wesigodi zajabulela ukuphinde zihlangane nababebaqhubela izifundo zeBhayibheli abaningi kakhulu abaqina okholweni, futhi ababethula kubantwana nabazukulu babo siqu abangokomoya.—1 Thesalonika 2:19, 20.

Izilaleli ezijabulayo nezilalele ngokucophelela zashaya ihlombe isikhathi eside zingalishayeli izingxoxo nezithunywa zevangeli kuphela kodwa nemibiko nemikhonzo evela eBrithani, eCanada, kwa-Israel, e-Italy, eJalimane, eKenya, eNetherlands, nase-United States—eyayifike nabameleli basemazweni akude. Nalokhu kwagcizelela uthando lobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke lwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Izinkulumo eziyinhloko ezanikezwa abazalwane abagcotshiwe beNdikimba Ebusayo, kanye nemithandazo yabo esuka enhliziyweni, nakho kwazithinta ngokujulile izilaleli. Intsha eyayisezilalelini yazifanisa nabadlali bedrama eyayiphathelene nentsha ekhumbula uMdali wayo, idrama eyanikezwa ngendlela engokoqobo neshukumisa ngempela. Ngaphandle kwezincwadi ezintsha zesiNgisi ezakhululwa, izincwadi ezintathu ezintsha zesi-Amharic zabangela intshiseko eyengeziwe.b

Phakathi namakhefu nangezinye izikhathi, kwakunamathuba amahle okwazana nabantu abaningi abayigugu. Ngokwesibonelo, khona kanye ezihlalweni ezingaphambili, ezenziwe ngoqalo, kwakuhlezi ummemezeli omdala kunabo bonke e-Ethiopia, uTulu Mekuria. Ngonyaka odlule, wabhapathizwa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova esemdala kakhulu eneminyaka engu-113 ubudala. Kulomhlangano wesigodi wajabulela ukubona umkakhe oneminyaka engu-80 ubudala elandela isibonelo sakhe, eba futhi udadewabo ongokomoya. Ukuba khona kwakhe phakathi naso sonke isimiso kwakuyisikhuthazo esihle entsheni. Omunye waleyontsha kwakunguYohanes Gorems, lowo nakuba eneminyaka engu-16 futhi engumfundi wesikole osekhonze iminyaka emine kakade njengommemezeli oyiphayona elivamile. Yena kanye namanye amaphayona asafunda esikoleni asemancane kunaye baye bafunda ukuthengisisa isikhathi, ngokufakaza ekuseni kakhulu lapho beya esikoleni noma ngokusebenzisa isikhathi samakhefu nangemva kokuphuma kwesikole.

Yeka Izibonelo Zobuqotho!

Abaningi phakathi kwezilaleli baye baba nokuhlangenwe nakho kokuboshwa nokuhlushwa ngaphansi kohulumeni bangaphambili. UMandefro Yifru ukhumbula leyominyaka emihlanu esejele, kodwa manje ujabulela ukukhonza e-Addis Ababa ehhovisi elisanda kwakhiwa, elinakekela ukuhumusha, ukunyathelisa, nokuthumela. Enye insizwa ekhonza kanye naye, uZecarias Eshetu, ayizange ihlehle ebuqothweni bayo eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule lapho uyise ebulawelwa ukulondoloza ukungathathi hlangothi kobuKristu phakathi neminyaka emithathu yokuboshwa. UZecarias, enye yezingane ezinhlanu, wayeneminyaka eyishumi ubudala lapho uyise eya ejele. UMeswat Girma nodadewabo, uYoalan, manje asebeve kakhulu eminyakeni eyishumi nambili futhi abasesesikoleni, bakhumbula uyise ngezithombe kuphela, njengoba babesebancane kakhulu lapho ebulawelwa ukungathathi hlangothi kwakhe. Ukuthembeka kwakhe kwabashukumisa, futhi bobabili bakhonza njengamaphayona avamile, njengoba kwakwenza uyise lapho efa.

Omunye umgcini wobuqotho kwakunguTamirat Yadette, manje okhonza njengephayona elikhethekile esifundeni esihle saseRift Valley. Ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi kwakhe kobuKristu, wachitha iminyaka emithathu emajele ayisikhombisa ahlukahlukene, ngezinye izikhathi eboshwe ngamaketanga futhi eshaywa kanzima. Nokho, ejele wasiza abantu abangaphezu kuka-12 ukuba bamelele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

UTesfu Temelso, manje okhonza njengombonisi wesifunda, waboshwa izikhathi ezingu-17 phakathi neminyaka ayekhonza ngayo njengephayona elikhethekile. Unezibazi zokushaywa, kodwa ujabulela ukubona amabandla ezabelweni ayekhonza kuzo ngaphambili. Abazalwane nodade abaningi baseBandleni Lase-Akaki babhekana nokuboshwa nonya, kodwa lelibandla liye lakhula laba nabamemezeli abangaphezu kwekhulu. Baye bakha iHholo LoMbuso LoFakazi BakaJehova lokuqala e-Ethiopia. EDese, idolobha elihle elingamakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-300 enyakatho yenhloko-dolobha, kwakuneqembu labantu abahlanu elalibhekene nokufa futhi labona umzalwane wendawo efa ngenxa yokuhlushwa ayebhekene nakho. Omunye umdala phakathi kwabo, uMaseresha Kasa, wachaza ukuthi wakhuthazela phakathi neminyaka eyisithupha eboshiwe, hhayi ngoba ayekhethekile ngandlela-thile, kodwa ngenxa nje yokuthi wayefunde ukuthembela kuJehova.—Roma 8:35-39; qhathanisa nezEnzo 8:1.

Ngisho nasezikhathini zamuva nje abanye baye babonisa ukuthembeka kwabo ngaphansi kovivinyo. Iqembu elikhulu lafika emhlanganweni livela ezweni eliseduze, lapho ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi kwabo, oFakazi benganikezwa nhlobo isivikelo samaphoyisa, izincwadi zokuhambela kwamanye amazwe, izitifiketi zomshado, ukwelashwa kwasezibhedlela, nemisebenzi. Lapho impi isabambene ngezihluthu eduze kwaseMesewa, okuwugu lwase-Eritrea oLwandle Olubomvu, lonke ibandla, labantu abangu-39 sebebonke, kuhlanganise nabantwana, lahlala izinyanga ezicishe zibe zine ngaphansi kwebhuloho eliphansi ogwadule libalekela ukuhlaselwa kwamakhaya alo ngamabhomu uhulumeni owawubusa. Kulesisimo sokuhlukunyezwa nesokuncishwa izidingo zokuphila, izingxoxo zabo zetekisi losuku neminye imihlangano kwabaqinisa kakhulu futhi kwabenza basondelana noJehova nomunye nomunye. Odade ababili abangamaphayona akhethekile ababekhonza eduze nesizalo seBlue Nile bakhuthazelela ukusongela kwezixuku nokuhlukunyezwa okwakushoshozelwa iSonto Lobu-Orthodox, kodwa labodade ababili babekezela futhi babona abafundi beBhayibheli abaningana bebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo ngobhapathizo kulomhlangano.

Omunye umzalwane walandisa ngovivinyo lwakhe lokuhlukaniswa emsebenzini owawusekujuleni esifundeni sase-Ogaden, esiwugwadule, esingekude neSomalia. Wayezigcina ephila ngokomoya ngokushumayela bese eqhuba imihlangano nabathakazelayo, kuhlanganise nodokotela bezokwelapha, abazuza ekufundiseni kwaphezulu futhi manje abafundisa abanye. Esinye isibonelo esihle sokugcina ubuqotho kwakuyiphayona elikhethekile e-Addis Ababa, elashaywa ngonya lashiywa kucatshangwa ukuthi lifile ngo-1992 isixuku esasishoshozelwa abapristi bobu-Orthodox. Ngokujabulisayo, lalulama futhi liyaqhubeka likhonza kuyo lensimu. Ukumamatheka kwalo okuhle akwembuli noma ikuphi ukudangala. Kuleliphayona, nakubo bonke abanye abavivinywa nabasanda kuhlanganyela, loMhlangano Wesigodi “Wokufundisa Kwaphezulu” wawuyidili lenjabulo.

Ukuhlelwa komhlangano kwahamba ngokushelelayo, okwenza ukuba izivakashi zicabange ukuthi izisebenzi zokuzithandela ezazihilelekile zazineminyaka eminingi yokuhlangenwe nakho. Eqinisweni, zaziye zathuthuka kakhulu phakathi neminyaka emibili edlule. Lomhlangano wezinsuku ezintathu washeshe waphela. Inani eliphakeme lababekhona ngoMgqibelo lalingu-9 556. Isiteshi sakulelizwe sethelevishini, umsakazo, namaphephandaba kwanikeza umbiko omuhle. Bonke babengabona ukuthi uJehova wayecebisa abantu bakhe ngokomoya. Ababekhona bahlanganisa izinkulungwane zabantu abathakazelayo abase beqale ukuzuza ‘ekuFundiseni Kwaphezulu.’ OFakazi BakaJehova bavulekelwe insimu enkulu kulelizwe elinabantu abacishe babe izigidi ezingu-50, futhi lomhlangano uye waqinisa ukuzimisela kwabo bonke ukusebenzisa isikhathi esisele kulesisimiso sezinto ukuze basize abaqotho ukuba nabo bazuze ekufundiseni kwaphezulu.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

E-Addis Ababa, ngo-January 13-15, 1994

[Izithombe ekhasini 24]

Iqembu lamaphayona e-Addis Ababa (ngakwesokudla); abagcini bobuqotho bonke ababeboshiwe (ngezansi); uFakazi oneminyaka engu-113 ubudala nomkakhe